Electrical control apparatus



April 5 1942- H. A. DOUGLAS ELECTRICAL CONTROL APBARATUS Original Filed July 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l @ZMW m RNEY.

April 7, 1942.. A, DQ I AS 2,278,840

ELECTRICAL CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed July 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 53 jyarrjaifldljhqirvvmorz.

. ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 7, 1942 v UNITED res PATENT orrlcs 2,278,840 ELECTRICAL CONTRQL APPARATUS Harry A. Douglas, Bronson, Mich, 'assignor to Kingston Products Corporation, a corporation of Indiana .3 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical control apparatus, and more particularly to electrical control apparatus embodying an indicator for indicating the condition of the control apparatus. My invention may be embodied, for example, in a rheostat controlling the current supply to a motor forming a part of a heater unit for automotive "vehicles, but the use of my invention is not so limited. The principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved control apparatus of these types.

This application is substituted for my application Serial Number 30,277, filed July 8, 1935.

For purposes of illustration I have shown one embodiment of my invention in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application, and in these drawings:

Figure l is a vertical sectional View of one embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is 'a section, on a smaller scale than Figure 1, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction .of the arrows,

Figure 3 is a section, on a smaller scale than Figure 1, taken on [the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 4 is .a rear elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1,011.13. smaller scale,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section, enlarged, taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction :of the arrows,

Figure '6 is a fragmentary section, enlarged, taken ion the line 66 of Figure '2,"looking in the direction of the arrows, with the bridge member, shown in Figure 5, added,

Figure 7 is a section, on a smaller scale than Figure 1, taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1,

' looking in the direction :of the arrows,

Figure 8 is :a "perspective view of details embodied in the apparatus of Figure'l, on a smaller scale, 'disassem'bled, and

Figure 9 is :a diagrammatic representation of electrical circuits embodying my invention, of which circuits portions of the apparatus shown inFi'gure 1 term a part.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus shown comprises a base I of insulating ma terial which carries disposed therethrcugh a pluralitygof contacts It, I2, l3, 14, in this instance four in number, concyclicly arranged. Each contact Ii, I2, 13, i4 is provided with a shank I disposed through the base :IIl, each shank having a collar It at its rear end, the collar I bearing against the rear face I! of the base H3 in the case of three of the contacts (1-2, 43, M)

and against a portion +8 of a terminal I9 in the case of the contact II, the shank It of the contact !'I passing through an aperture in the portion I8. Another collar may be formed on the shank of each contact I], I2, I3, I4 to tightly hold the contacts to the base I0, and, in

the case of the contact II, to also hold the terminal I9 to the base. The collars 20 may be formed by shearing and turning down the front ends of the contacts. shanks of the contacts are split longitudinally to form furcations 2|, 22, for the purpose of making connection to a resistance wire 23, here shown as made up in helical form and disposed in an arcuate trough, formed at the rear of the base "ID, by a pair of concentric arcuate flanges 24, integral with the insulating base 10 and extending axially away from the rear face I! of the base. One end 25 of the resistance wire is disposed between the furcations 2|, '22 at the end of the shank of the contact 'I I, and the other end 21 of the resistance wire is similarly disposed between the furcations 2 I, 22 at the end of the shank :of the contact I4. Intermediate parts 218, 29 :of the resistance wire are similarly disposed between the furcations 2I,22 at the rear ends of the contacts 13, I2. The furcations 21, 22 at the ends of the shanks of the contacts 11, I2, I3, I4 are pinched together to tight-1y hold the resistance wire where itis disposed between the respective furcations, thereby efii'ciently electrically connecting the respective contactsto the resistance wire and at the same time holding the resistance wire in position in the trough formed by the flanges 24, 25. 1 The length of the resistance wire 23 betwee adjacent contacts need not be the same, but as indicated on the drawings, the length may be made different byincluding a different number of convolutions of the resistance wire between the respective adjacent contacts.

The terminal I9 is here shown as having a portion .30 extending at right angles rearwardly from the portion t8, the rearwardly extending portion 30 being provided with a threaded aperture 3! cooperating with a screw 32. The screw 32 may be disposed through a look washer 33, disposed between the head of the screw 32 and the rearwardly extending portion 3%. The lock washer 33 is provided with serrations 34 extendi-ng radially inwardly from the margin of the aperture in the washer, and also extending axially, with respect to the washer, in a direction away from both faces of the washer. The

lock washer '33 may be provided with ya leg 3-5 extending laterally therefrom and adapted to be The rear ends of the disposed in an aperture 36 in the rearwardly extending portion 38 of the terminal to thereby prevent rotation of the lock washer. The screw 32 in cooperation with the lock washer 33 is shown as connecting a conductor 31 to the terminal l9.

The terminal l9 may be prevented from turning about the axis of the contact I I by means of a finger 38 struck out from the portion I8, the finger 38 having a portion 39 extending laterally of the portion l8 and a portion 40 extending substantially parallel to the portion IS. The finger 38 has its laterally extending portion 39 disposed in a recess 4| extending radially inwardly from the margin of a fan-shaped radial extension 43 on the base l0, and its free end disposed in an axially oifset recess 42 extending axially rearwardly from the front face of the base l9 and in radial alinement with the radial recess 4|. The finger 38 and the portion I8 thus embrace the fan-shaped extension 43 of the base l8, and the finger 38 thereby serves not only to prevent rotation of the terminal |9 about the axis of the contact II but also to prevent movement of the portion I8, and therefore of the terminal l9, away from the rear face H of the base Ill.

The base l8 also carries another terminal 44, identical with the terminal I9, but the terminal 44 serves to electrically connect a conductor 45 to a jumper 46. The jumper 46 is here shown as comprising an arcuate portion 41 fitting around an annular boss 48 extending frontwardly from the front face of the base I9. The arcuate portion 41 has integral therewith a radially extending portion 49. The arcuate portion 41 does not form a complete circle, but there is a gap therein, here shown as diametrically opposite the radially extending portion 49. Between ends 50, formed by the gap in the arcuate portion 41, the boss 48 has a radial extension 52 which fills the gap and is flush with the front face of the arcuate portion 41. 'The jumper 46 is fastened to the base by means of a rivet 53 having a head 54 and a shank 55 disposed through an aperture in the portion l8 of the terminal 44, through the base I9, and through an aperture in the radially extending portion 49 of the jumper 46. The end 56 of the shank of the rivet 53 may be spread over the front face of the radially extending portion 49 of the jumper, in any suitable manner, to tightly hold the jumper 46 and the terminal 44 to the base H1. The base is provided with a pair of generally rectangular bosses 51, 58, disposed on circumferentially opposite sides of the radially extending portion 49 of the jumper 46, concyclic with the contacts |2, |3, l4 and the rivet 53. The rivet 53 and the contacts l2, I3, I 4 are here shown as equally spaced circumferentially.

The terminal 44 is related to the fan-shaped extension 43 of the base in a manner similar to that already described in connection with the terminal I9.

Cooperable with the contacts |2, |3, I4 is a movable bridge member 59, here shown as comprising an annular portion 60 and a fan-shaped radial extension 6|. The fan-shaped extension 6| is provided with a recess 62 in which the heads of the contacts l2, l3, M respectively are adapted to be seated, as most clearly seen in Figure 5. The lateral edges 63, 64 of the fanshaped extension 6| are bent out of the plane of the extension to form cam surfaces enablin the bridge member 59 to more readily ride up onto the contact heads as the bridge member is rotated. The fan-shaped extension 6| is made circumferentially wide enough at its radially outer end so that as the bridge member is rotated contact will be made by the bridge member with the next adjacent contact head before contact is broken between the bridge and the trailing contact head.

The movable bridge member is here shown as provided at its side diametrically opposite from the fan-shaped extension 6| with an axial projection 65, serving as a contact brush, the end of which is cooperable with the arcuate portion 41 of the jumper 46. The bridge member is provided with a central circular aperture 66 margined by an axially extending tubular extension 61 adapted to fit an aperture 68 in an insulating plate 69, having an annular portion 18 of greater diameter than the diameter of the annular portion 68 of the bridge member, and having also a fan-shaped radial extension 1| adapted to be disposed over the fan-shaped extension 6| of the bridge member. The fanshaped extension 1| of the insulating plate 69 is of less radial extent than that of the fanshaped extension 6| of the bridge member 59 so that, in the illustrated embodiment, the fanshaped extension 1| of the insulating plate 69 extends radially to the turned up lateral edges 63, 64 of the fan-shaped extension 6| of the bridge member 59. The fan-shaped extension 1| of the insulating plate 69 is circumferentially wider than that portion of the fan-shaped extension 6| of the bridge member over which the fan-shaped extension 1| of the insulating plate 69 is disposed, thereby providing shoulders 12, 13 extending circumferentially beyond the lateral edges of the aforesaid portion of the fanshaped extension on the bridge member. The insulating plate 69 is here shown as fastened to the bridge member 59 by the formation of a radially extending annular flange 14 at the end of the tubular extension 61, the radial flange 14 tightly pressing the insulating plate 69 against the bridge member 59. The insulating plate 69 may be prevented from turning with respect to the bridge member 59 by providing the bridge member 59 with a projection 15, struck up from the bridge member 59, the projection 15 being disposed in a radially inwardly extending notch 16 in the fan-shaped extension 1| of the insulating plate 69.

The bridge member 59 is adapted to be held in position by and is rotatable about or with a thimble-like member 11 having a cylindrical portion 18 and an end wall 19 closing one end of the cylindrical portion except for an aperture 89 provided in the end wall. The cylindrical portion 18 is adapted to fit slidably in a recess 8| extending into the front face of the base |0 into a boss 82 on the rear face of the base, the axis of the recess 8| being coincident with the center of the circle defining the locus of the contacts I2, I 3, l4. The open end of the thimble 11 is provided with a radially outwardly extending flange 83 adapted to overlie the radially outwardly extending flange 14 on the tubular extension 61 of the bridge member 59. The thimble 11 is biased toward the bottom of the recess 8| by means of a spring 84, disposed within the thimble, one end of which engages the end wall 19 of the thimble and the other end of which engages a frustro-conical portion 85 on a lock pin 86. The lock pin 86 is provided with a shank 81 of cylindrical form mergingwwith the frus'troc'onical portion 85,- the frdstro=conicalportionin turn merging with a cylindrical portion T88,-

which in tlun merges with a frustro-conical end of a single piece of metal, The cylindrical shank- 81 of the-lock pin 80 is slidably disposed through the aperture 80 in the end wall I9 of the 'thimble TI and also through an aperture'llll in the'boss 82 concentric with the recess 8|. Movement of the lock pin 86 under the bias of the spring 84 is limited by providing the end of the shankof the lock pin with an enlargement SI, the enlarg'ement being conveniently formed by pressing together the walls of the end of the shank, thereby'flattening these walls. The enlargement 9| is sufficiently great so that it cannot pass through the aperture 90 in the boss 82. The enlargement 9| is shown in Figure 1, out of engagement with face of the flang'e H5 is thus adapted to engage theiront end "of the'nipple I05; The smaller cylindrical portion II 3 is provided with two "bayonet slots I16, In, each slot comprising an axially extending portion II8 having its entrance at the junction between'the smaller cylindrical'p'ortion 'I I3 and the radially extending flange H5. The axially extending portion I'IB preach bayonet slot, H6, H1, merges'with acircumierential- 1y extending portion II9, providing also a bayonet seat for pins I20,"I2I on a metallic shell I22 comprisingpart of the base ofthe lamp'l I2. The

the rear face of the boss, for reasons which will I appear.

The apparatus is provided with a cup-shaped casing 92 having a cylindrical wall 93 and an end wall 94. The cylindrical wall 93 is in this instance provided with three circumferentially unequally spaced tongues 95, 96, 91, two of which,

95, Q6, are adapted to be disposed in radially inwardly' extending notches 90, 99, at the outer periphery of the base. The ends of these tongues, 95, 96, may be clinched radially inwardly into and against the bottoms of recesses I00, IOI extending radially inwardly from the outer periphery of the base and axially from the rear of the base toward the front face of the base in alinement with the notches 98, 99, respectively. The other tongue '91 is adapted to be disposed through an aperture I02 in the fan-shaped extension 43 of the base I0, and may have its end clinched against the bottom of a. recess Hi3 extending axially from the rear face of the base toward the front face.

The end wall 94 of the casing 92 has a central aperture I04 concentric with the axis of rotation of the bridge member 59 and through this aperture is disposed a reduced portion of an exteriorly threaded nipple I85 tightly fastened to the end wall 94 of the casing by turning radially outwardly and against the inside of the end wall 94 the end I09 of the reduced portion of the nipple which extends rearwardly beyond the end wall 94. The casing 92 may be fastened to a example, an automotive vehicle) by disposing the threaded nipple through an aperture I08 in the 1 panel and setting up a nut I09, on the nipple I05, against a lock washer H disposed between the panel and the nut, thereby bringing up the end wall 94 of the casing tightly against the rear face of the panel I01.

Rotatably disposed in the threaded nipple I05 is a rotatable member III serving both as a socket for an incandescent electric lamp I I2 and as a portion of an actuating means for the bridge member 59. The rotatable member I I I comprises a metallic shell having a cylindrical portion H8 rotatable within the nipple m5 and of a length approximately the same as the length of the nipple from its front end to the rear end surface of that portion I05 of the nipple which extends through the end wall 94 of the casing. Therotatable member III also includes a cylindrical portion H4, of larger diameter, integrally joined with the smaller cylindrical portion II3 by a radially extending annular flange H5. The rear lamp base is provided with a centrally disposed contact I23 connected in the usual manner to one end of the filament I24 of the lamp, the other end of the filament I24 being connected in the usual manner to the metallic shell portion I22 of the base of the lamp. 7 I

The rotatable member III is held in operative position in the nipple I05 by means of an opei ating member I25 comprising an annular plate I having a central aperture IZ'I of the same diameter as the inside diameter of the smaller cylindrical portion I I3 or the rotatable member III, Extending radially outwardly from the margin of the central aperture, I21, in the operating member I are a plurality of notches I20, I29, I30, here shown as three in number, adapted to receive three complementary axially extending projections I3 I, I32, I33 on the smaller cylindrical portion H3 or the rotatable'memoer. The axially extending projections I3I, I32, I33 are provided with fingers" I34 of reduced width which may be clinched radially outwardly over the rear'face or the operating member I25, thereby tightlyholding the "operating'memb'er' in engagement with the rotatable member III. It Will be observed, however, that clinching over of the fingers Itd does not bind the radially extending flange I15 and the-operating member I25 against "the "respective ends or the nipple I05 for the reason that the operating member abuts the rear'end edge of the smallercylindrical portion I I3 between'the projection I3'I, I32, 133, the parts being so pro ortioned that after the fingers I34 are clinched over, the rotatable member III'will still be free to rotate within the nipple I05. v v w The operating me br I25 is provided with a first fan-shaped radial extension I35 ahd 'a sec- 0nd circumrerentially narrower ran-shaped elitension I30, alihemeht'with and extending radially from the first extension I35. The first fan-shaped extension, I35, is provided at its oncumferentially lateral edgeswith two axially extending projections I31, I38 straddling the fanshaped extension "II on the insulating plate 69. The projections I31, I38 are here shown as having some 10st motion with the lateral edges I2, I3 of the fan-shaped extension II. The second fan-shaped extension, I36, on the operating memberis' adapted to engage a stop I39 formed by striking inwardly a part of the cylin drical wall'93of the casing 92, one lateral edge of the second fan-shaped extension I36 ofthe operating member I25 being adapted to engage one edge or the stop I39 and the other being adapted to engage the other edge of the stop, depending on which way the operating member I25 is rotated. I

when the lamp IIZ is inserted in the smaller cylindrical portion II3 of the rotatable member I, with the base'pins I20, I2I incooperation with the bayonet slots H6, In, the base contact I23 engages the ffus'tro-eofiical free end portion I portion I4 I 89 of the lock pin 86, further inserting movement causing the lock pin 86 to move rearwardly, against the bias of the pre-compressed spring 84, thereby further compressing the spring 84. When the pins I20, I2I on the lamp base are seated in the bayonet seats of the bayonet slots II6, III, the lock pin 86 assumes the position shown in Figure 1 in which the enlargement 9| has been moved out of engagement with the rear face of the boss 82.

It now will be apparent that the spring 84 (through intermediation of the lock pin 86 and the contact I23) serves to bias the lamp base pins I20, I2I firmly into the seats of the bayonet slots II6, I I1, and also, that the rotatable member III is thereby biased in a direction away from the base I0, and thus the rotatable member III in turn biases the operating member I25 against the rear end I06 of the nipple I05. Every axial lost motion in the parts is thereby taken up. Furthermore, the spring 84 (through the intermediation of the thimble 71) serves to bias the bridge member 59 toward the base I and therefore the brush 65 against the arcuate portion 41 of the jumper, and the portion SI of the bridge member against the contacts II, I2, I3, or I4, or against other parts the portion 6I may engage.

An operating knob I40 is provided for the rotatable member III, this knob comprising a knurled cylindrical portion I4I adapted to fit over the larger. cylindrical portion II4 of the rotatable member, desirably with a fairly tight fit so that the operating knob I40 will be frictionally held in engagement with the rotatable mem her, but also be readily removable. The knob I40 may be prevented from rotating about the rotatable member I II by providing the larger cylindrical portion II4 of the rotatable member with a bulged out portion I42 adapted to fit in a complementary axially extending recess I43 in the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion I4I of the knob I40. The knob includes a domeshaped portion I48 integral with the cylindrical The knob is made of transparent or translucent, desirably insulating, material through which the light from the lamp II2 may pass.

It will be evident that by turning the'knob I40 the rotatable member I II will be turned about its axis, and, depending upon the direction of rotation, one or the other of the projections I31,

I38 on the operating member I25 will engage a lateral edge I2, I3 respectively of the fan-shaped extension II on the insulating plate 69, thereby turning the bridge member 59 about its axis. It will be noted that in such turning movement the lamp II2 will also take part; and the lock pin 86 and the thimble 1! are free to rotate in unison with the bridge member 59 and the lamp II2. On the other hand, the nipple I being stationary, the operating member I will rotate with respect thereto, but is maintained in engagement and electrical contact with the rear end I06 of the nipple I05 by the bias of the spring 84.

When the bridge member 59 is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, the stop I39 stops the bridge member in the position shown in Figure 6, the brush 65 being then on the insulating portion 52. When the bridge member is rotated clockwise, the stop I39 stops it when the recess 62 of the bridge member'is in engagement with the contact I4. The fact that the tongues 95, 96, 91 are unequally spaced circumferentially, predetermines the position of the stop I39, since the casing 92 can be'assembled with the base I 0 in only one rotative angular re-' lation.

The apparatus shown in Figure 1 maybe electrically connected as shown in Figure 9. In this figure the structure of the rheostat is only diagrammatically indicated, but insofar as feasible the parts corresponding to those of Figures 1 through 8 have been given the same reference numerals. The jumper 46 is shown as connected by the conductor 45 to one terminal of a battery I44, the other terminal of the battery being oonnected to ground. The battery I44 may be the usual battery carried by an automotive vehicle,

the ground being the frame of the vehicle. The contact I I is shown as being connected by the conductor 31 to one terminal of a motor I45, the other terminal of which is connected to ground. The motor I45 may be a motor utilized in a heater for automotive vehicles. The lamp H2 is shown as having one terminal connected to ground through a conductor I46 and the other terminal connected to the bridge member 59 by a conductor I41.

The conductors I46, I41 represent diagrammatically certain series of parts of the apparatus hereinbefore described. The manner in which one terminal of the lamp is connected by these parts to ground and the other terminal of the lamp to the bridge member 59 is as follows. The panel I0! is of course connected to the frame, that is, the ground connection, and the panel I0! is electrically connected to the nipple I05. The operating member I25 is biased into contact with the rear end I06 of the nipple, thereby efiiciently electrically connecting the panel to the rotatable member I I I. The shell I22 of the lamp base and the pins I20, I2I thereon are in electrical connection with the rotatable member II I. Tracing the circuit further, the circuit continues from the shell I22 of the lamp base through the filament I24 to the lamp base contact I23, through the lock pin 86, and either through the spring 84 or through the lock pin 86, or both, to the thimble .11, and from the thimble to the bridge member. When the brush 65 is in contact with the jumper 46, the circuit for the lamp H2 is completed through the brush 65, the jumper 46, the conductor 45 through the battery I44 to ground.

Referring again to Figure 9, it will be evident that in the position of the parts there shown, the battery I44 supplies current to the motor I45 through the jumper 46, through the brush 65 of the bridge member 59, through the bridge member 59 to the contact I3, thence through that portion of the resistance 23 interposed between the contacts I3 and II to one terminal of the motor I45, and through the motor I45 back through the ground to the other terminal of the battery I44.

On the other hand, the lamp I I2 is supplied with current from the battery I44, from one terminal of the battery through the brush 65 of the bridge member 59, through the bridge member 59, and from the bridge member 59 through the lamp II2, by way of the parts already hereinbefore described, to ground and back to the other terminal of the battery I44. While the motor I45 is thus supplied with current from the battery through a part of the resistance 23, in the position of the parts as shown in Figure 9, no part of the. resistance 23 is in circuit with the lamp H2, and, therefore,the lamp operates at full brilliance as determined by thefull electromotive force of the battery I44 or other source of current.

It will be evident that if the bridge member is moved so that it engages the contact I4, more resistance will be inserted in the motor circuit, thus reducing the electromotive force applied to the motor I45 and therefore also reducing its speed, but the lamp I I2 will still be supplied with the full electromotive force of the battery I -lfi'i through the circuit hereinbefore traced and will continue to operate at full brilliance. If the bridge member 59 is moved so as to engage the contact I2 less resistance will be inserted in the motor circuit, thereby operating the motor M5 at a higher speed, and when the bridge member 59 is moved to engage the contact II the full electromotive force of the battery will be supplied to the motor I45, thereby operating it at its highest speed. However, in all of these positions of the bridge member 59 the circuit for the lamp II2 is the same as already described and it continues to operate at full brilliance for. all these positions of the bridge member 59.

Thus, for any and all on positions of the bridge member 59 the lamp H2 will be energized to the same intensity, irrespective of the amount of resistance in the circuit of the motor I45.

When the bridge member 59 is moved in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 9, far enough so that contact is broken between the bridge member 59 and the contact I I, further counterclockwise movement of the bridge member will be stopped when the second fan-shaped extension 36 of the operating member I hits the stop I39. Meanwhile, the fan-shaped extension GI of the bridge member 59 will have been moved up onto the bosses 51, 58 to the position shown in Figure 6, in which the parts are in '3- off position. Contact between the bridge member 5d and the jumper 46 Will be then entirely interrupted, since the bridge member 59 is kept out of contact with the rivet 53 and, also, the brush 55 has been moved off of the arcuate porition 3'! of the jumper 46 onto the extension 52 of the boss 48. In this position of the parts the circuits to the motor I and to the lamp I I2 are both interrupted, extinguishment of the lamp I I2 indicating that the motor circuit has been interrupted.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention provides a new and improved electrical control apparatus, readily and conveniently constructed and assembled, and accordingly, accomplishes at least the principal object of my invention. On the other hand, it also will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention may be variously changed and modified, or features thereof, singly or collectively, embodied in other combinations than those illustrated, Without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof, and that accordingly, the disclosure herein is illustrative only, and my invention isnot limited thereto,

I claim:

1. In combination in electrical control apparatus: a switch including a movable switch member and a stationary contact; means providing a socket for an incandescent electric lamp; a carrier; thimble-shaped means carried by said carrier and having an abutment at its open end engaging said movable switch member, and having an aperture in its closed end; contact means disposed within said thimble-shaped means, having a shouldered portion, and a portion extending through the aperture in the closed end of the said thimble-shaped means; spring means interposed between said contact shoulder and the closed end of said thimble-shaped means, said spring means being constructed and arranged to bias said movable switch member toward said stationary contact, and said contact means toward the incandescent electric lamp; and means on said contact means acting to hold said thimble means to said carrier.

2. In combination in the electrical control apparatus: a switch including a movable switch member and a stationary contact; means providing a socket for an incandescent electric lamp; a carrier; thimble-shaped means carried by said carrier and having an abutment at its open end engaging said movable switch member, and having an aperture at its closed end; tubular contact means disposed within said thimble-shaped means, having a shouldered portion, and. a portion extending through the aperture in the closed end of said thimble-shaped means; spring means interposed between said contact shoulder and the closed end of said thimble-shaped means, said spring means being constructed and arranged to bias said movable switch member toward said stationary contact, and said contact means toward said lamp to engage the lamp and hold same in relation to its socket; and means on said contact means located adjacent one side of said carrier for holding said thimble means assembled with said carrier.

3. In combination in electrical control apparatus: a switch including a movable switch member and a contact; means providing a socket for an electric lamp; a carrier provided with a well; thimble-shaped means disposed within said well and having an abutment adjacent its open end engaging said movable switch member, and having an aperture in its closed end; contact means disposed in said thimble-shaped means; said 0011- tact means having a head portion, and a spindle portion extending through the aperture in the closed end of the thimble-shaped means; resilient -means interposed between said head portion and the closed end of said thimble-shaped means, said resilient means being constructed and arranged to bias said movable switch member toward said contact, and said contact means to engage the lamp to hold same in'relation to its socket; and abutment means provided adjacent one extremity of said contact means located at one side of said carrier for holding said thimble means with respect to said carrier,

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

